Can Dogs Understand Language?

Understanding Animal Communication: From Chimpanzees to Dogs

Starting from Descartes’ view, the belief was that language was a prominent characteristic that separated humans from animals. In answer to the question, for example, “can dogs understand language?” the answer was no.

This perception was widely supported until the 1970s when researches started contesting this notion.

Emerging studies proposed that it may not be entirely impossible for non-human species to grasp some elements of language. Prominent researchers like Beatrix and Allen Gardner led this revolutionary change in perspective about animal intelligence.

Attempts initially were aimed at teaching chimpanzees spoken language. But the chimpanzees had a severe limitation when it came to spoken vocabulary, managing to grasp only four words. So the Gardners decided to use the American Sign Language (ASL). This was a significant improvement since chimpanzees are naturally dexterous, enabling them to learn hand and finger movements quickly.

This approach bore fruit in the case of chimpanzee Washoe who managed to learn over 150 ASL signs. He used these signs to form simple sentences developing an ability to communicate novel ideas. His overall language competence was comparable to that of a 2.5 to 3-year-old child.

The language teaching experiments didn’t stop there.

David Premack successfully taught his chimpanzee named Sarah how to effectively read and write.

Another research led by Sue Savage-Rumbaugh incorporated two chimpanzees, Sherman and Austin, using a specially designed keyboard. The chimpanzees were able to type messages to each other about relevant matters demonstrating an understanding of language communication.

Can Dogs Understand Language: Not a Simple Question!

This breakthrough wasn’t just limited to chimpanzees -similar methods of teaching were applied to dogs to develop linguistic intelligence in dogs.

Although our understanding is still evolving, these experiments have proven that dogs can understand and communicate in more ways than previously thought.

The shift from teaching vocal words to incorporating ASL and advanced technologies shows how the research into animal communication has evolved since Descartes’ era.

From chimpanzees to dogs, the developments demonstrate a newfound understanding of animal linguistic intelligence, challenging preconceived notions about language competence in animals.

Studies and Observations in Animal Communication

	Topic	Description
	Grammar and Syntax in Dog Communication	Suggests some level of grammatical rules in dog vocalizations.
	Combination and Sequence in Dog Sounds	Specific sound combinations convey different meanings.
	Dogs’ Emotional, Social, and Desire Communication	Emphasize dominance, status, emotional state, and desires.
	Human Interpretation of Dog Vocalizations	Human misunderstanding of nuances in dog sounds.
	Dogs Learning Specific Vocalizations	Dogs can be trained to produce distinct sounds in certain contexts.
	Dogs Using Body Language for Communication	Includes tail wagging, body postures, and specific gestures.
	Comparative Linguistic Intelligence	Dogs have linguistic intelligence comparable to young human children.

	Study/Subject	Details
	Study on Bonobos	Shared 98 to 99 percent of human genes, leading to expanded language capabilities.
	Bonobos’ Language Learning	Similar to human children, they could pick up words in normal conversation.
	Panbanisha	A bonobo who used language to communicate about events like a fight.
	Disagreement Among Psychologists	Some argue that primate communication lacks the complexity of true human language.
	Comparison with Young Children’s Language	Non-human language capabilities compared to children’s early linguistic skills.
	Dog-Receptive Language	Focuses on dogs’ ability to comprehend and respond to human language.
	Dogs Responding to Spoken Words	Demonstrates their receptive language ability.
	Mini-Dictionary of Dog Vocabulary	A personal list showing dogs’ comprehension of specific words.
	Range of Commands Understood by Dogs	Includes ‘away’, ‘back’, ‘bad dog’, ‘be close’, ‘be quick’, ‘by me’, etc.
	Rico the Border Collie	Understood over 200 words, mostly object names.